Battery for fattening broil chickens

ABSTRACT

Cage batteries for fattening broil chickens comprising a frame having at least one layer of cages, each cage layer being provided with a feed and water supply device and a dungcollecting device together with a dung discharge device. On each cage layer, at least one longitudinal row of stationary cages has a feeding and drinking device which is arranged so that the sides of the feeding and drinking device remote from the central longitudinal plane of the row of stationary cages are accessible for feeding and drinking from adjacent cages which are removable from the frame.

[ June 12, 1973 1,709,136 4/1929 Lockwood 119/18 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS BATTERY FOR FATTENING BROIL CHICKENS 706,701 5/1966 Italy[75] Inventor: Jelle Boterweg, Kampen,

Netherlands [73] Assignee: Big Dutchman (Nederland) N.V., PrimaryExaminer-Hugh R. Chamblee Wezep, Netherlands July 31, 1970 Appl. No.:60,080

Attorney-Price, l-leneveld, Huizenga & Cooper [22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT Cage batteries for fattening broil chickens comprising aframe having at least one layer of cages, each cage layer being providedwith a feed and water supply de- 70 a2 1012 9n 9 l 1 1k! .07 /A 9 i l 81 ml mu9 "1 m mh C nr. ""8 ue s C d td UmF 111] 2 00 555 .IZIII.

vice and a dung-collecting device together with a dung discharge device.On each cage layer, at least one longitudinal row of stationary cageshas a feeding and drinking device which is arranged so that the sides ofthe feeding and drinking device remote from the central longitudinalplane of the row of stationary cages are accessible for feeding anddrinking from adjacent cages which are removable from the frame.

14 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 71x]- 12 2 //8/ 99 9 11 1 1191 n "N S T m Nm E m T A m t I .I WE mmm mTdn mm H ny A e v rT mmem MST PS MD E8537T6131 I9999 1111 N//// U00294 226 0 0 6772 m 9222 5 ,1 3111 PATENIEUJUN1 2 ms sum 1 nr 2 INVENTOR 1541.5 .sorenwee Kan.

PAIENIED 21915 3, 738 9 323 sum 2 0F 2 INVENTOR JELLE -80TRWEG BATTERYFOR FATTENING BROIL CHICKENS The invention relates to a cage battery forfattening broil chickens comprising a frame having at least one layer ofcages, each cage layer being provided with a feeding and water supplyingapparatus and a dung collecting apparatus together with a dungdischarging apparatus.

Such a device is generally known.

In this known device all cages are placed stationary in the frame, i.e.,they remain present in the frame and are not used to transport theanimals (birds) when they are ready for slaughter. Moreover these cageshave the disadvantage that they do not meet certain required dimensionswhich are of very great importance for the living conditions of theanimals (birds). It appeared namely that the bottom of such a cage mustbe perforated in a certain way and that the cages must meet certaindimensions, when fattened broil chickens must be obtained, which remainhealthy and which are made against relatively low expenses and in ashort period ready for slaughter i.e. that their increase of weight islarger per kg used food and per time-unit. Furthermore the animals(birds) must be brought each time before and after the transportrespectively out of and into the fixed cages.

The present invention supplies now a battery of cages for fatteningbroil chickens (store chickens) in which a part of the cages isremovable and can be transported with the store-chickens remainingtherein and in which said cages and the stationary cages (beingirremovable, remaining in the frame) have standard dimensions supplyingthe effect mentioned above. Moreover the battery is very simply composedand can be manufactured with minimum-costs. The control is also verypractical and appropriate.

The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the drawingsenclosed herewith.

FIG. 1 shows schematically a perspective view of the cage batteryaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the standard-dimensions of the stationary and the removablecage.

FIG. 3 shows the dimensions of the mutual distances of the perforationsin the bottom and possibly also in the side wall of a cage.

The frame 1 of the cage battery having supports 2, being connected bymeans of horizontal beams, bears one or more floors, on which on eachside of the vertical central longitudinal plane of the battery each timetwo opposite stationary cages 5 having a feeding and drinking device, towit respectively a feeding trough 6 and a supply-pipe or gutter ortroughs 7 being adjustable in height for drinking water with or withoutdrinknipples, and the sides turned away from the vertical centrallongitudinal plane are accessible out of the cages 4 being removablefrom the frame, which cages are adjacent the outside of the stationarycages 5. The top side 10 of a removable cage 4 is provided with abipartite slidable cover 11, the one of a stationary cage is open andduring use is covered by the rotated pulled out slidable wall 12-of theside of a removable cage adjacent to the stationary cage, which slidablewall also being on the opposite longitudinal side of a removable cage,is pivotal around an upper longitudinal border of last mentioned cageafter complete pulling out of the removable cage. By means of thisslidable wall and the bipartite cover it is possible to remove theanimals (birds) respectively sideways and from the top out of the cage.

The dimensions of a stationary cage amount to l X 400 X 337 mm and thoseof a removable cage 1 130 X 670 X 337 mm. All removable cages aremanufactured of plastic or similar material, whereas each removable cagemeets the required ground-surface per animal (bird) during the transportand the joining (uniting) of the removable and stationary cage meets themost economical way of breeding of the animals (birds) present in thecage in question. The optimum occupation of the cages amounts to 30animals (birds). The stationary cages are partially made of plastic. Theperforations in the endwalls of the stationary cages and the endwallsand longitudinal side walls of the removable cages must meet over circatwo-thirds of their total height from the bottom the followingdimensions. The aligned perforations have a center-distance of 25 mm,their diameter amounts to 18 mm whereas the centerdistance of the abovementioned line with regard to the adjacent line of perforations 21,amounts to 5 mm. Last mentioned perforations have a center line of 18 mmtoo. These dimensions are substantially for the perforations in thebottom of a cage. Above said height the perforations or similar holescan be larger, as the danger of escape of the animals is no morepresent.

It namely appeared that the animals (birds) do not get breast-blistersexclusively with these dimensions and spaces of the perforations, whichillness makes the birds (animals) totally unsuitably for theslaughterhouses.

Each removable cage 4 is movable over longitudinal beams, as indicatedwith 9.

It will be clear that for each floor a dung-dischargedevice is to beinserted, to wit an inclined dischargedevice 3 for top-floor and adung-trough 14 on or in the ground level.

Finally it is remarked that as further additional advantage of thedevice according to the present invention can still be mentioned thefact that on a truck for normal rods two cages in longitudinal directioncan be placed beside each other (2 X l 130 mm), whereas for trucks forB-roads (B roads are roads exclusively for vehicles having a maximumwheel pressure of 2400 kg and a maximum width of 2.20 m. Larger vehiclesare forbidden on B-roads) three cages can be placed beside each other (3X 670 mm) so that an optimum occupation of the cargo-hold is obtained.

From the foregoing it will be clear that with the device according tothe present invention a very appropriate, rational healthy, quick andrelatively cheap breeding of chickens is possible, as well as an optimumoccupation per unit of stable-surface is obtained.

I claim:

1. A battery of poultry cages comprising in combination: a supportframe; a plurality of stationary cages mounted on said support frame,said stationary cages including means for feeding and watering poultryconfined therein, each of said stationary cages having a sidewall withmeans defining an opening therein; removable cages positionable adjacenteach of said stationary cages; the dimensions of the adjacent portionsof said stationary and removable cages being generally equal to eachother; said cages forming a longitudinally extending row of side-by-sidecages said removable cages each having means defining an opening throughthe side which is adjacent said stationary cage; said removable cageshaving a slidable wall portion forming a gate movable between a firstposition wherein said removable cage opening is closed and saidremovable cage is completely enclosed and can be transported about withpoultry confined therein, and a second position wherein said removablecage opening is open and is aligned with the opening in a stationarycage when said removable cage is positioned adjacent said stationarycage so that poultry confined within said removable cage have freeaccess between both said 2. The battery of cages according to claim 1wherein the top side of said stationary cage includes means defining asecond stationary cage opening, said slidable wall portion of saidremovable cage when in said second position being pivotable relative tosaid stationary cage for movement into a third position wherein itblocks said second stationary cage opening in said stationary cageforming a single combined stationary and removable cage enclosure.

3. The battery of cages according to claim 1 wherein said first andsecond openings in said stationary cage define the entire side and topside of said cage and the slidable wall portion of said removable cagedefines an entire side of said removable cage.

4. A battery of poultry cages having at least one layer of cagescomprising: a support frame; stationary cage means mounted on saidsupport frame; said stationary cage means including feeding and wateringmeans permitting poultry located in said cages to eat and drink fromsaid feeding and watering means; removable cage means positionable onsaid support frame adjacent said stationary cage means; said stationarycage means including spaced partition means; defining openings facingsaid removable cage means when said latter cage means are positionedadjacent thereto; said removable cage means including a sidewall havinga gate movable between a closed position wherein said removable cagemeans is fully closed for confining poultry therein and an open positionwherein poultry are free to move into and out of said removable cagemeans, said removable cage means being alignable on said support frameadjacent said stationary cage means with said gate in alignment withsaid opening whereby poultry are free to move'between both said cagemeans when said gate is in said open position.

5. The battery of cages according to claim 4, wherein said wateringmeans is comprised of an open topped water supply conduit adjustable inheight relative to said stationary cages for drinking water, and saidfeeding means is comprised of a feeding trough.

6. The battery of cages according to claim 4, wherein the sides of theremovable cages positioned adjacent said stationary cages are providedwith a vertically slidable wall forming said gate, said gate in itspulled out position being pivotable with regard to the top sides of saidadjacent cages.

7. The battery of cages according to claim 6, wherein the top side ofsaid stationary cages are open and during use of the cage battery theopen top side of a stationary cage is covered by one folded, verticallypulled out gate of the removable cage adjacent to the stationary cage.

8. The battery of cages according to claim 6 wherein the top side ofsaid removable cages are is provided with a bipartite slidable cover.

9. The battery of cages according to claim 4 wherein all sides of thecages, with the exception of the longitudinal side walls and the topwall of said stationary cages, are provided with perforations.

10. The battery of cages according to claim 9, wherein the perforationsin the cage bottoms and the perforations in the lower two-thirds portionof the endwalls of the stationary cages and the side and end walls ofthe removable cages have a diameter of 18 mm or less, thecenter-distance of the aligned perforations amounts to approximately 25mm and the distance of two adjacent parallel lines of perforationsamounts to approximately 21.5 mm.

11. A battery of poultry cages comprising at least one stationary cageand one removable cage positionable adjacent'each other; support meansfor supporting said stationary cage in a stationary manner and forremovably supporting said removable cage adjacent said stationary cage;said stationary cage having an open top and sidewall, said open sidewallfacing said removable cage when the latter is positioned adjacentthereto; said removable cage having a top, bottom, side and end wallsforming a poultry confining enclosure, the wall of said removable cagefacing said open side of said stationary cage when said cages'arepositioned adjacent each other being slidable vertically between aclosed position wherein said removable cage is fully enclosed forconfining poultry therein and an open position wherein poultry are freeto move into and out of said adjacent cages, said slidable wall beingpivotal relative the tops of said adjacent cages when in said openposition whereby said slidable wall is pivotal over said open top ofsaid stationary cage so that said stationary and removable cages form afully enclosed cage.

12. The battery of cages according to claim 11 wherein the top side ofsaid movable cages includes slidable cover means to permit insertion andremoval of poultry within said cages.

13. The battery of cages according to claim 11 wherein said stationarycage includes feeding and watering means permitting poultry located insaid adjacent stationary and removable cages to eat and drink therefromwhen said slidable wall is in said open position.

14. The battery of cages according to claim 13 wherein said wateringmeans is adjustable in height relative to said stationary cage.

*zgggg UNITED STA'IES PA'IENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo. 3 73 8 ,323 Dated June 12 1973 Invent fl Jellfe .Boterwe It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Colfimn 3 li'r'ie 10; after "said" insert adjacent stationary andremovable Cages.

Column 3 line 38; "fully closed"s hould read-- fully enclosed-- Signedand sealed this 5th day of March 197A.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M'.FLETCHER,-JR. C MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner fPatents

1. A battery of poultry cages comprising in combination: a supportframe; a plurality of stationary cages mounted on said support frame,said stationary cages including means for feeding and watering poultryconfined therein, each of said stationary cages having a sidewall withmeans defining an opening therein; removable cages positionable adjacenteach of said stationary cages; the dimensions of the adjacent portionsof said stationary and removable cages being generally equal to eachother; said cages forming a longitudinally extending row of side-by-sidecages said removable cages each having means defining an opening throughthe side which is adjacent said stationary cage; said removable cageshaving a slidable wall portion forming a gate movable betWeen a firstposition wherein said removable cage opening is closed and saidremovable cage is completely enclosed and can be transported about withpoultry confined therein, and a second position wherein said removablecage opening is open and is aligned with the opening in a stationarycage when said removable cage is positioned adjacent said stationarycage so that poultry confined within said removable cage have freeaccess between both said
 2. The battery of cages according to claim 1wherein the top side of said stationary cage includes means defining asecond stationary cage opening, said slidable wall portion of saidremovable cage when in said second position being pivotable relative tosaid stationary cage for movement into a third position wherein itblocks said second stationary cage opening in said stationary cageforming a single combined stationary and removable cage enclosure. 3.The battery of cages according to claim 1 wherein said first and secondopenings in said stationary cage define the entire side and top side ofsaid cage and the slidable wall portion of said removable cage definesan entire side of said removable cage.
 4. A battery of poultry cageshaving at least one layer of cages comprising: a support frame;stationary cage means mounted on said support frame; said stationarycage means including feeding and watering means permitting poultrylocated in said cages to eat and drink from said feeding and wateringmeans; removable cage means positionable on said support frame adjacentsaid stationary cage means; said stationary cage means including spacedpartition means; defining openings facing said removable cage means whensaid latter cage means are positioned adjacent thereto; said removablecage means including a sidewall having a gate movable between a closedposition wherein said removable cage means is fully closed for confiningpoultry therein and an open position wherein poultry are free to moveinto and out of said removable cage means, said removable cage meansbeing alignable on said support frame adjacent said stationary cagemeans with said gate in alignment with said opening whereby poultry arefree to move between both said cage means when said gate is in said openposition.
 5. The battery of cages according to claim 4, wherein saidwatering means is comprised of an open topped water supply conduitadjustable in height relative to said stationary cages for drinkingwater, and said feeding means is comprised of a feeding trough.
 6. Thebattery of cages according to claim 4, wherein the sides of theremovable cages positioned adjacent said stationary cages are providedwith a vertically slidable wall forming said gate, said gate in itspulled out position being pivotable with regard to the top sides of saidadjacent cages.
 7. The battery of cages according to claim 6, whereinthe top side of said stationary cages are open and during use of thecage battery the open top side of a stationary cage is covered by onefolded, vertically pulled out gate of the removable cage adjacent to thestationary cage.
 8. The battery of cages according to claim 6 whereinthe top side of said removable cages are is provided with a bipartiteslidable cover.
 9. The battery of cages according to claim 4 wherein allsides of the cages, with the exception of the longitudinal side wallsand the top wall of said stationary cages, are provided withperforations.
 10. The battery of cages according to claim 9, wherein theperforations in the cage bottoms and the perforations in the lowertwo-thirds portion of the end-walls of the stationary cages and the sideand end walls of the removable cages have a diameter of 18 mm or less,the center-distance of the aligned perforations amounts to approximately25 mm and the distance of two adjacent parallel lines of perforationsamounts to approximately 21.5 mm.
 11. A battery of poultry cagescomprising at least one stationary cage and one removable caGepositionable adjacent each other; support means for supporting saidstationary cage in a stationary manner and for removably supporting saidremovable cage adjacent said stationary cage; said stationary cagehaving an open top and sidewall, said open sidewall facing saidremovable cage when the latter is positioned adjacent thereto; saidremovable cage having a top, bottom, side and end walls forming apoultry confining enclosure, the wall of said removable cage facing saidopen side of said stationary cage when said cages are positionedadjacent each other being slidable vertically between a closed positionwherein said removable cage is fully enclosed for confining poultrytherein and an open position wherein poultry are free to move into andout of said adjacent cages, said slidable wall being pivotal relativethe tops of said adjacent cages when in said open position whereby saidslidable wall is pivotal over said open top of said stationary cage sothat said stationary and removable cages form a fully enclosed cage. 12.The battery of cages according to claim 11 wherein the top side of saidmovable cages includes slidable cover means to permit insertion andremoval of poultry within said cages.
 13. The battery of cages accordingto claim 11 wherein said stationary cage includes feeding and wateringmeans permitting poultry located in said adjacent stationary andremovable cages to eat and drink therefrom when said slidable wall is insaid open position.
 14. The battery of cages according to claim 13wherein said watering means is adjustable in height relative to saidstationary cage.